This archive report was first published on 24 August 2020.
Detroit Firefighter Sivad Johnson Dies Trying to Save Girls From Drowning ¶
On August 21, 2020, Detroit Fire Department Sergeant Sivad Johnson, a 26-year veteran, lost his life while trying to save three young girls from drowning in the Detroit River.
Johnson, 49, was visiting Belle Isle, a 982-acre island park in the Detroit River, with his 10-year-old daughter, Hayden, when he heard witnesses say three young girls were drowning. He immediately sprang into action, giving his phone and keys to his daughter and diving into the river with a civilian to save the girls.
After the girls were safely brought to shore, Johnson's daughter realized she could not find her father and called 911 around 9 p.m. The search for Johnson was called off by 4 a.m. and resumed later that morning. His body was found on Saturday afternoon near the Detroit Yacht Club.
The authorities believed Johnson was dragged underwater by a rip current. In a 2018 monologue, Johnson described his family's deep connection to firefighting and his colleagues in the Detroit Fire Department.
Johnson's colleagues and friends remembered him as a mentor, teacher, and a magnificent man who lived life with no limits. He was a well-rounded, caring, and intelligent man who ran marathons and skydived. A GoFundMe campaign was started to support Johnson's family, including his older daughter, Kendell, 17.
Johnson's brother, Jamal, called him his 'idol' and said he was always a hero to him. Johnson's death was met with an outpouring of grief from the Detroit Fire Department and the community, with many firefighters attending his funeral and saluting him as he was brought to Detroit Receiving Hospital.
